After almost a decade of TVS Motor Company filing a request for patent of a hybrid scooter, the company has received it from the Chennai Patent Office

TVS Motor Company has been working on a greener two-wheeler mobility solution for a considerable time and had filed a patent specification in 2008 at the Chennai Patent Office. The patent applied was for the exclusivity of a hybrid two-wheeler which would enable TVS to manufacture two-wheelers which would run on a combination of a petrol engine and an electric motor. TVS has been working on hybrid scooters for almost a decade now and it had showcased a working model at the 2014 Auto Expo, the IQube.

In a usual setup of a hybrid engine, the internal combustion engine is the main driver and the electric motor provides additional power. However, in the IQube concept the electric motor sent the power to the wheels and the internal combustion engine would charge the batteries and support the electric motor. A similar architecture can also be found in some electric cars such as the Chevrolet Volt, wherein the internal combustion engine acts as a generator and charges the batteries, which in turn power the electric motor.

The company hasn't yet confirmed the exact specifications of the scooter, however, the IQube that was displayed at the 2014 Auto Expo was powered by the 109.7 cc engine along with a hub mounted electric motor. The battery options showcased at that time were 500 Wh and 150 Wh lithium-ion units. A higher fuel efficiency as well as reduced tailpipe emissions, both were claimed to be 30 percent over a conventional two-wheeler. The exact figures in terms of reduction in emission or increase in efficiency haven't been disclosed yet but going by the IQube numbers one can expect a fuel-efficiency of around 70 + km to a litre of petrol.